Reservation Blues, Sherman Alexie "He'd stay away for days at a time, drinking, drunk, passed out on the muddy streets in Arlee. Mom played the piano when Dad was gone, and we could hear it. We'd stay close enough to hear it.
'I used to think her songs drifted across the entire reservation. I imagined they knocked deer over and shook their antlers of moose and elk. Can you believe that? The music crept into the dreams of hibernating bears and turned them into nightmares. Those bears wouldn't ever leave their dens and starve to death as spring grew warmer. Those songs floated up to the cloud, fell back to the earth as rain and changed the shape of plants and trees. I once bit into a huckleberry and it tasted like my brothers tears. I used to believe all that.'
Thomas smiled at her. He had just met the only Indian who told stories like his."
(Page 67 of Reservation Blues)
In his novel Reservation Blues, Sherman Alexie writes of a group of Indians struggling to break from the cycle of poverty and grief that intoxicates the reservation through a refuge of music. In the middle of the novel, we come across a significant emotional passage, dense with imagery that describes the Native American identity, as well as their ethnicity, which is firmly rooted in storytelling and music. Through the use of storytelling, Chess conveys the power of music, interlacing two strong powers in the novel. When Chess tells Thomas her story, she opens up to him and the emotions run deep through this passage. Thomas is struck by the fact that Chess is able to tell such poignant stories. As she shares her experience of music with him a deeper bond is formed, making this passage pivotal in the relationship between Chess and Thomas as well as what being a Native American truly ensues.
The passage begins with the struggles of Chess’ parents, particularly her father. An alcoholic ever since his son passed away, Chess’ father has succumbed to the most common disease that plagues the reservation. Like many other male Indians, he’s passed out on the muddy street, and hopeless. The link propels us to TED Talk by Aaron Huey, a photographer for the National Geographic who spent a year on the Sioux Reservation. In the talk, he speaks of all of the problems the plague the reservation even in 2010. With statistics and a supplement of photos 10 minutes and 47 seconds into the talk, he exposes the horrors that reside within the reservation.
Following the leave of Chess and Checkers father, her mother plays the piano. Although the sisters were outside, they make sure to stay within earshot to hear the piano music. This music is so poignant that it changes the entire reservation, with the sadness seeping and absorbing into the very soil. The link on The Titanic theme song has touched the world with its tragic love story, which is similar to the story of Chess and Checker’s family upon losing a loved one. When the song “My Heart Will Go On” came out in 1997, it sold over 30 million copies, becoming one of the best-selling albums of all time and the highest-selling primarily orchestral soundtrack ever. It truly took over the world. The music that Chess’s mother played became truly influential on the reservation as well, invading the very heart of the reservation.
The impact of this music was profound and resonated throughout the rest of the passage. The story, strung together with imagery and personification, showed how the reservation reacted and was impacted by this sudden struck of grief. As it “knocked deer over” it “crept through” and invaded the entire reservation, destroying it in the process. At this point, we linked to a scene from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows when the death eaters invade the unsuspecting “Muggle” world, swooping through the alleyways and destroying bridges. This is similar to what the music had done to the reservation, taking over and destroying whatever life is there.
The songs permeated the atmosphere floating up to the sky and falling down hard on the reservation as rain. At this point we linked to an image of a boy huddling as the rain beats down on his back. The boy is in pain and the rain drains life from him rather than supplying it. It takes a toll on him emotionally and he symbolizes what it feels to be like on the reservation during a time when sorrow filled the air.
The song “I’ve Got My Music,” by Marvin Gaye, one of Big Mom’s students, connects dreams and music. When he says, “I let the tear drop fall like rain,” (which is similar to, “bit into the huckleberry and it tasted like my brothers tears” and “fell back to the earth as rain”) he is looking at music in a positive way. He sees music as the rain, a symbol of life and preservation, and an integral part of who he is (I’ve got my music), just like how Coyote Springs does. It’s a way of remembering people we’ve lost, such as Chess and Checker’s brother, but also a way to refresh and cleanse your soul of any guilt or sadness. It gives them a sense that their brother is still preserved and remembered through the daily showers of rain. The tone of the song is calming and relaxed, just how Chess and Checkers feel, watching the rain. The rain serves as reassurance that their brother will live on through their memories and dreams of him.
The connection between Thomas and Chess further solidifies at the end of the story, due to the story. The stories that Thomas and Chess tell are not particularly the sweetest but they are emotional and deep, expressing tradition and folklore. The image that we selected displays a small girl reaching upwards with an expressive face, as if she’s telling a story. The letters and graffiti above her seem to emerge from what’s inside of her. A fierce story from the young heart of a Native American.
Big Mom had said that she only gives them the instruments and tools to play, but it’s their choice what they want to do. In the case of music, they can either ignore and misuse their talent (such as Whitehawk who abandoned his gift of playing saxophone) or work hard or try to become something great. Coyote Springs was willing to go against the norm of the reservation and broke all confinements to pursue your dreams and make a change in the world through your music. Through the merging of storytelling to express the effects of music, Alexie creates a new genre of expression unique to the Native Americans.
Discussion Questions
1. The dense imagery creates a strong visual image while reading the passage. What is the image that Sherman Alexie tries to capture in this excerpt? Do you believe that this image conjures up specific emotions for a reason? What do you think makes this passage particularly moving?
2. Storytelling plays a significant role in the Native American culture. Are Chess and Thomas simply conforming to stereotypes and folklore by telling these types of stories or do you think that it truly is a part of them? How do stories bring together the Native Americans? Are there instances when these stories prove to be ineffective? If so, why do you think that it's magic has faded?
"He'd stay away for days at a time, drinking, drunk, passed out on the muddy streets in Arlee. Mom played the piano when Dad was gone, and we could hear it. We'd stay close enough to hear it.
'I used to think her songs drifted across the entire reservation. I imagined they knocked deer over and shook their antlers of moose and elk. Can you believe that? The music crept into the dreams of hibernating bears and turned them into nightmares. Those bears wouldn't ever leave their dens and starve to death as spring grew warmer. Those songs floated up to the cloud, fell back to the earth as rain and changed the shape of plants and trees. I once bit into a huckleberry and it tasted like my brothers tears. I used to believe all that.'
Thomas smiled at her. He had just met the only Indian who told stories like his."
(Page 67 of Reservation Blues)
In his novel Reservation Blues, Sherman Alexie writes of a group of Indians struggling to break from the cycle of poverty and grief that intoxicates the reservation through a refuge of music. In the middle of the novel, we come across a significant emotional passage, dense with imagery that describes the Native American identity, as well as their ethnicity, which is firmly rooted in storytelling and music. Through the use of storytelling, Chess conveys the power of music, interlacing two strong powers in the novel. When Chess tells Thomas her story, she opens up to him and the emotions run deep through this passage. Thomas is struck by the fact that Chess is able to tell such poignant stories. As she shares her experience of music with him a deeper bond is formed, making this passage pivotal in the relationship between Chess and Thomas as well as what being a Native American truly ensues.
The passage begins with the struggles of Chess’ parents, particularly her father. An alcoholic ever since his son passed away, Chess’ father has succumbed to the most common disease that plagues the reservation. Like many other male Indians, he’s passed out on the muddy street, and hopeless. The link propels us to TED Talk by Aaron Huey, a photographer for the National Geographic who spent a year on the Sioux Reservation. In the talk, he speaks of all of the problems the plague the reservation even in 2010. With statistics and a supplement of photos 10 minutes and 47 seconds into the talk, he exposes the horrors that reside within the reservation.
Following the leave of Chess and Checkers father, her mother plays the piano. Although the sisters were outside, they make sure to stay within earshot to hear the piano music. This music is so poignant that it changes the entire reservation, with the sadness seeping and absorbing into the very soil. The link on The Titanic theme song has touched the world with its tragic love story, which is similar to the story of Chess and Checker’s family upon losing a loved one. When the song “My Heart Will Go On” came out in 1997, it sold over 30 million copies, becoming one of the best-selling albums of all time and the highest-selling primarily orchestral soundtrack ever. It truly took over the world. The music that Chess’s mother played became truly influential on the reservation as well, invading the very heart of the reservation.
The impact of this music was profound and resonated throughout the rest of the passage. The story, strung together with imagery and personification, showed how the reservation reacted and was impacted by this sudden struck of grief. As it “knocked deer over” it “crept through” and invaded the entire reservation, destroying it in the process. At this point, we linked to a scene from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows when the death eaters invade the unsuspecting “Muggle” world, swooping through the alleyways and destroying bridges. This is similar to what the music had done to the reservation, taking over and destroying whatever life is there.
The songs permeated the atmosphere floating up to the sky and falling down hard on the reservation as rain. At this point we linked to an image of a boy huddling as the rain beats down on his back. The boy is in pain and the rain drains life from him rather than supplying it. It takes a toll on him emotionally and he symbolizes what it feels to be like on the reservation during a time when sorrow filled the air.
The song “I’ve Got My Music,” by Marvin Gaye, one of Big Mom’s students, connects dreams and music. When he says, “I let the tear drop fall like rain,” (which is similar to, “bit into the huckleberry and it tasted like my brothers tears” and “fell back to the earth as rain”) he is looking at music in a positive way. He sees music as the rain, a symbol of life and preservation, and an integral part of who he is (I’ve got my music), just like how Coyote Springs does. It’s a way of remembering people we’ve lost, such as Chess and Checker’s brother, but also a way to refresh and cleanse your soul of any guilt or sadness. It gives them a sense that their brother is still preserved and remembered through the daily showers of rain. The tone of the song is calming and relaxed, just how Chess and Checkers feel, watching the rain. The rain serves as reassurance that their brother will live on through their memories and dreams of him.
The connection between Thomas and Chess further solidifies at the end of the story, due to the story. The stories that Thomas and Chess tell are not particularly the sweetest but they are emotional and deep, expressing tradition and folklore. The image that we selected displays a small girl reaching upwards with an expressive face, as if she’s telling a story. The letters and graffiti above her seem to emerge from what’s inside of her. A fierce story from the young heart of a Native American.
Big Mom had said that she only gives them the instruments and tools to play, but it’s their choice what they want to do. In the case of music, they can either ignore and misuse their talent (such as Whitehawk who abandoned his gift of playing saxophone) or work hard or try to become something great. Coyote Springs was willing to go against the norm of the reservation and broke all confinements to pursue your dreams and make a change in the world through your music. Through the merging of storytelling to express the effects of music, Alexie creates a new genre of expression unique to the Native Americans.
Discussion Questions
1. The dense imagery creates a strong visual image while reading the passage. What is the image that Sherman Alexie tries to capture in this excerpt? Do you believe that this image conjures up specific emotions for a reason? What do you think makes this passage particularly moving?
2. Storytelling plays a significant role in the Native American culture. Are Chess and Thomas simply conforming to stereotypes and folklore by telling these types of stories or do you think that it truly is a part of them? How do stories bring together the Native Americans? Are there instances when these stories prove to be ineffective? If so, why do you think that it's magic has faded?
Links
"passed out on the muddy streets"
Aaron Huey: Americas Native Prisoners of War
http://www.ted.com/talks/aaron_huey.html
"we could hear it"
Titanic: Rose's Theme Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSZCFFpix2g&feature=related
"crept into"
Harry Potter Death Eater Invasion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo-U5iOinM8
"rain"
Man Crying in the Rain Photo
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=http://files.myopera.com/skafridi/blog/aec7.jpg&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&sa=N&rls=en&biw=1024&bih=702&tbm=isch&tbnid=9NAb2H-15cN0fM:&imgrefurl=http://my.opera.com/skafridi/blog/%3Fstartidx%3D120&docid=T4_prV3eM_zJAM&imgurl=http://files.myopera.com/skafridi/blog/aec7.jpg&w=300&h=225&ei=erYYT-yIC8zI0AGL_pTTCw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=126&vpy=204&dur=414&hovh=149&hovw=199&tx=123&ty=55&sig=110031029251772662638&page=1&tbnh=146&tbnw=195&start=0&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0
"tears"
Dreams of You: Marvin Graye
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOKf5Lz5X5k
"stories"
Girl Storytelling Photo
http://www.aaronhuey.com/#/mitakuye-oyasin---all-my-relations/PINERIDGE_1200p_133